Totally Rose
by permanentrosecasson
Summary: Rose does NOT love Tom Levin - so why does he make her heart ache so much?
1. Chapter 1

**Sunday 12****th**** December**

My Kind Of Guy

Today me and Kiran and Molly were at the park on the swings trying to see who could swing highest.

Molly and Kiran were losing, because when I was younger Saffy taught me to do this wriggly sort of thing with my arms and legs that makes you swing higher and faster than people who aren't doing it.

Kiran was laughing at Molly who was singing "Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No it is Permanent Rose!"

When Molly said Permanent Rose I thought about the way Tom says it, and then I thought about how me and Tom and Indy used to wish on aeroplanes.

Kiran said, "You do know you are speaking out loud Rose"

And I said "Oops" because I didn't.

Molly said "You haven't told us about Tom in a while, tell us again"

And Kiran said, "Yes we all know Molly is a sucker for a love story"

So I said crossly "IT IS NOT A LOVE STORY. I DO NO LOVE TOM."

But then I told them the story anyway because I needed to remind myself.

"What kind of guy" Said Kiran "What kind of guy sits on roofs and wishes on aeroplanes and has a guitar strap with roses on it?"

And then I had to think for a very long time because I do not know any kind of guy who sits on roofs and wishes on aeroplanes and has a guitar strap with roses on it (from me, roses from Rose, get it?) apart from Tom, because even Indigo does not do that. Sometimes Indy sits on the roof but that was mostly when Tom was here and sometimes he takes me to the library and we sneak up to the roof (which is _very_ high up and when Indy stands to near the edge he freezes up because despite spending a lot of time hanging out of his bedroom window when he was younger he never _quite_ managed to cure himself of his fear of heights and so I have to pull him back) and we lie there wishing on aeroplanes going to New York (because that is where Tom is) but even Indy does not have a guitar strap with roses on it, even though he does have Tom's old guitar and is teaching himself to play (with help from Tom through emails) but he is nowhere near as good as Tom. And Tom so is the only guy I know who sits on roofs and wishes on aeroplanes and has a guitar strap with roses on it, and that is what makes Tom who he is.

Which is Tom.

So after I had thought about all this I said "My Kind Of Guy."

Kiran rolled her eyes and Molly said "Oh Rose"

I do not know why they did that.


	2. Chapter 2

Wednesday 15th December

**Why It Is Not My Fault I Got Detention.**

It all started in assembly.

Big School (only you mustn't call it that!) assembly is much more interesting than Little School assembly because there are a lot more people to whisper and giggle and make the teachers shout at them to Shut Up And Listen and because the hall where we have assembly has a nice big skylight, so I can tilt my head back and watch the sky.

Anyway I was watching the sky and it was nice and stormy and purple and blue and grey and there was a little Pitter-Patter of the raindrops hitting the glass, and lots of people were whispering and giggling and overall it was making a very nice sound.

But then Mrs Lewis shouted "ROSE CASSON PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT I AM SAYING."

I blushed and sat up properly and everyone was looking at me.

Mrs Lewis reminds me a lot of Mr Spencer, only she is a she and not a he.

So anyway I was paying attention (like Mrs Lewis _told_ me to do!) and she was saying something about Shakespeare.

I let my mind wander off again because Sarah and Saffy had tried to get me to read Shakespeare ("It's old" said Sarah, "Just like Morte d'Arthur" added Saffron, but it wasn't the same and it was a horrible book that made my head hurt so much I had to put my glasses on and go outside and wish on aeroplanes.)

But then I tried to pay attention again and I did this just as Mrs Lewis roared "STAND UP FOR SHAKESPEARE!" (Mrs Lewis always shouts, she is _just_ like a female version of Mr Spencer) And this was all I heard and I was so surprised so I stood up.

No one else stood up.

In fact, Kiran fell off her chair onto the floor because she was laughing so hard.

Mrs Lewis glared at me. "ROSE CASSON!" She yelled, "HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU. WILL YOU NEVER LEARN? DETENTION AFTER SCHOOL TODAY."

And Kiran stopped laughing and Molly patted my arm and said "Bad luck Rose."

But it was not my fault!

Daddy can't be angry with me this time, because it really wasn't.

If Mrs Lewis had just let me watch the lovely stormy sky like usual I would not have been paying attention to her stupid assembly and I would not have stood up when I wasn't supposed to.

And she should not have said Stand Up For Shakespeare.

What was I supposed to do?

And that is Why It Is Not My Fault I Got Detention.

So.


	3. Chapter 3

Friday 24th December

**Why It Will Be A Rubbish Christmas.**

So.

It is Christmas Eve

It will not be like the Christmas when I was 11 which was almost my favourite Christmas ever and I was almost lonely but then Tom came for a surprise Christmas present

And it will not be like the Christmas when I was 12 and Daddy broke his arm because he came to shout at me and Indigo and David for lying on the roof and he went to close to the edge and fell off.

And it will not be like the Christmas last year (when I was 13) which was my favourite Christmas ever because it snowed and Tom came to stay for 2 whole weeks.

This Christmas nothing is happening and it will be horrible because Indy and Sarah are fighting again and Saffy isn't speaking to either of them (I don't blame her though, they are being stupid as everyone knows they belong to each other.)

And it didn't snow.

And Tom is not coming. ("I can't Permanent Rose because I came last year and my dad is refusing to spend another Christmas away from home!")

And when I looked under the tree (plastic! Daddy refused to get a proper tree this year. I am not speaking to him.) I could not see any presents for me.

_None!_

So it will be Rubbish.


	4. Chapter 4

Saturday 25th December

**The Best Christmas Ever**

I am hiding under my bed.

And it is all Daddy's fault.

No presents!

Not one!

We were all opening presents and Daddy pulled out a present from me.

This year I had No Money so I painted everyone pictures and Daddy just looked at it.

He didn't say anything, and then he looked at me so I ran away. And that is why I am hiding under my bed.

"Rose." Calls Indigo. He comes into my room and kneels down. "Come out Rose"

"NO!" I shout. "THIS CHRISTMAS IS RUBBISH. NO PRESENTS. NOT ONE! NO SNOW, NO TOM AND NO PRESENTS. AND STUPID DADDY. AND STUPID YOU AND STUPID SARAH AND STUPID SAFFY!"

"Calm down Rose" Says Indigo gently, but I will not.

I knew it. This is the worst Christmas ever.

I shout and scream and kick but Indigo is very strong now from all his polar exploring. He pulls me downstairs and dumps me on the sofa.

"Rosy Pose" Says Daddy. "Please, I was just surprised, that's all."

I shut my eyes and cross my arms and pretend I can't hear or see any of them.

But then Daddy shoves an envelope at me. "This is from everyone Rose." He explains.

I stare at it.

Last year Daddy gave me an envelope just like this one and it was something called Premium Bonds which are apparently maybe money that I can't have yet.

What a rubbish present.

"If it's Premium Bonds again I am never speaking to anyone ever again." I announce.

"Just open it Rose" Says Indigo, smiling a secret smile.

The envelope says PERMANENT ROSE CASSON. On it in capitals, except it's a bit smudged so what it really says is PERM NEN OSE CAS O .

I open it.

It's a letter, I unfold it and something small falls out onto the floor. David reaches down to pick it up for me but Indigo pulls him back.

I glance at the letter but it's just boring boring typed out words.

I bend down and pick up what fell down.

And

Its

"A PLANE TICKET TO NEW YORK. OH! OH! OH!"

And that is when I burst into tears.


	5. Chapter 5

Tuesday 28th December

**What Time Is It In New York?**

I am going to New York in just 46 and ¾ hours! I am leaving from London at 8pm and I will get there at 4am (which is 11pm in New York time!) Only this time Tom is not going to meet me under a sign that says New York and so Sarah and David do not have to break into the school to phone up Tom again and that is because It Is A Surprise, which means that Tom Does Not Know I Am Coming To New York.

Which means I have to get a taxi to Tom's house where he is having a New Year's party.

But it is OK because Tom's dad knows I am coming.


	6. Chapter 6

Friday 31st December

**NEW YORK!!**

I am in NEW YORK.

New York is where Tom lives.

I am waiting at the airport for my taxi to take me to Tom's house where he has NO IDEA I am here.

I am texting Indy when the taxi man arrives.

"Permanent Rose Casson?" He asks boredly.

"That's me!" I exclaim. I can't keep still.

I am _so_ excited to see Tom.

The taxi to Tom's house takes about an hour (New York is a big place with lots of busy people and traffic jams) and I fidget the whole time, while the taxi driver glares at me.

And then I am HERE where Tom lives and I am throwing money at the taxi driver and running up the stairs and straight into the door and then I am grinning at Tom's dad and running again, dodging people and laughing at the fireworks and people are counting down "5, 4, 3, 2…" and just as they get to 1 I can see Tom and

And

And

Oh.


End file.
